Pirates of the Caribbean: The Cursed Isle
by Dobre Ytka
Summary: Captian Jack Sparrow thought he was done fighting the undead. He has a great life now. Elizabeth and Will have decided to join him. He has the Pearl back, and he's finally going after all that gold Barbosa left. What could possibly go wrong?
1. Did I do that?

**Disclaimer:  I own nothing.**

**Chapter 1: Did I do that?**

Anamaria scowled at the sky.  "Quite frankly, I have no idea where we are.  That storm has blown us so far off course that I don't even know if we're still in the Caribbean.  Mr. Gibbs!  Go wake the captain!"

            Mr. Gibbs obediently trotted over to a door and knocked.  On the door was a gold name plate with the words "**_Captain_ Jack Sparrow" engraved on it.  "Wake up Cap'n!" shouted Gibbs, "Anamaria's gone and thrown all the rum overboard!"**

            A sudden crash sounded from with in the cabin, and a long stream of curse words floated out.  "Mutiny!" screamed Cap'n Jack as he stumbled out from his cabin.  "Anamaria!  Why is all the rum gone?" he whined as he dejectedly sat on a barrel and placed his head in his hands.  "You're like that bloody Elizabeth all over again."

            "I heard that." A tart voice sounded above Jack's lowered head.

            Jack sighed heavily and slowly raised his head to look at Elizabeth.  "I never doubted that you would lass.  Where's that husband of yours anyway?  It's much too early for the two of you to be up, and out of bed.  Savvy?"  He gave her a sly wink and a generous leer.

            She reached back, as thought to smack him, and Jack leaped off the barrel and over to the wheel.  "Where's my rum?" Jack asked Anamaria in an ominous tone.

            "Right where it's always been Captain.  You were just sitting on it."  Anamaria innocently replied.  

            "Oh God," Jack groaned.  "Between you and Elizabeth I'll have no more rum left.  Gibbs!  Report!  How much did they throw over?"

            Mr. Gibbs bowed his head in sorrow and gave his daily rum report.  "I'm afraid the heathens got the barrel we hid in the kitchen sir.  Fortunately for us, the cask on the starboard side is mostly intact.  They tried to dump it during the changing of the guard, but I saw them.  Your hidden stash is safe as always…at least…I think it is.  Since none of us can remember where exactly you hid it, it stands to reason that they couldn't have found it either.  That is the day's rum report Cap'n."  

            "Heathens!  Why you little!  Gibbs!  Get back here Gibbs!"  But all Elizabeth's screeching was to no avail.  As soon as she had raised her voice, Gibbs had taken off running, and she knew from experience that there was no catching him.  So, denied of her prey, she went off in search of other members of the crew to torture, passing Will along the way.  "Heathens!" she shouted to him, and stomped off.

            Will stopped, looked after her in his bemused way, and then headed straight for Jack.  "Well Jack, Gibbs is up the mast again.  He looks really scared this time.  There's no way I'm going up after him.  Besides, it's your turn."

            "It's _Captain Jack, and I say we leave him there for a while.  It'll do him good.  Besides, I want to see what happens when Elizabeth finds him."  Jack gave and evil grin, and began to sing.  "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me…"_

            Before he could finish his song, there came a commotion from mid-ship.  "That didn't take long," Jack mused.  "She must have followed him."

            The two gave each other an amused look, and sprinted to the mast.  Sure enough, there they found Elizabeth, yelling at a man who was desperately trying to hang on to one of the cross beams connected to the mast.

            "Come down you coward!  A heathen am I?  Well, I'll show you how heathens deal with insulting, drunken men!"  With that, Elizabeth grabbed an axe off the deck and proceeded to hack at the mast.

            "Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Captain Jack Sparrow yelled at the top of his voice.  "Not the mast!  Damn you woman!"  

            Jack jumped at Elizabeth, as all the crew watched in amazed horror.  Despite much biting, kicking, hair pulling, and the like, Jack managed to wrestle the axe away from Elizabeth.  Will restrained her with Anamaria's help, and Cotton relieved Jack of the axe.

            "Much obliged for the help Cap'n." Gibbs said solemnly.  "I think I might stay up here for a while if you don't mind though, at least until she calms down some.  Cap'n!  Cap'n!  I see land!"

            Just as Gibbs spoke, a cry of "Land ho!" was heard from the crow's nest.

            Everyone rushed to the rail, to peer over the water.  The 'land' was in fact a small island.  It looked like any other island in the Caribbean, except for the fact that, out of the water surrounding the island poked several dozen masts.  The water surrounding the island was some sort of a ships graveyard.

            "Anamaria!  Get to the wheel!  I don't like the look of this place.  Get us out of here, savvy?"  Jack shouted.

            Anamaria nodded and ran for the wheel.

            "Blast it all Gibbs!  Get down here!  On the double man!"  Jack ordered.

            Gibbs nodded, and tried to climb to the mast, so he could get down, but as soon as he moved there was a sharp cracking sound, and the entire mast started to lean.  Everyone jumped out of the way as the mast came crashing down onto the deck.  Gibbs stood up, brushed himself off, and stated "Like I always say, its bad luck to have a woman on board."

            Elizabeth went even paler than usual, and a faint sound escaped her lips.  "Oops."

**Author's Note:**

            I'm sorry this chapter is so short.  It's my first attempt at writing a story.  Please let me know what you think, and how I can get better.  Um…in case I didn't explain it that well…Anamaria and Elizabeth are now great friends.  Elizabeth has managed to convince Anamaria that rum is a "vile drink".  Thus, for the good of the ship, they are attempting to get rid of all the rum.  To prevent this, Jack has guards stationed around the rum, but as shown in the chapter, the guards can't always save the rum.

            I have no practice with talking like a pirate, so I will apologize now for all the times in the future that Jack (et al) don't sound like pirates.  

**Quote of the Chapter:**  One out of four people in this country is mentally unbalanced. Think of your three closest friends; if they seem okay, then you're the one.  –Ann Landers


	2. What ever happened to?

**Disclaimer:  I own nothing more than I owned last chapter, which is nothing.**

**Chapter Two:  What ever happened to…?**

Captain Jack Sparrow turned to look at the crowd of people at his back.  "So we're all agreed then?" he asked.  "Will and I are to go ashore."

            Elizabeth glared at him.  "We are most certainly _not agreed.  The last time you took Will somewhere in a boat, he almost got killed!"  She crossed her arms, nodded emphatically and stated, "You'll have to take someone else."_

            Will rolled his eyes in disgust and walked over to the rail to peer through the gloom of twilight at the island.  "It's a very depressing place isn't it Mr. Gibbs?" he asked.  "Maybe it's all the ships sunk around the island that give it that feel.  What do you think?"

            Mr. Gibbs, who had followed Will in an attempt to escape from Elizabeth's whining answered, "It could be boy, but I'm wondering.  What made all of those ships sink?"

            Both turned and stared out over the still water.

            Meanwhile…"Sorry love," Jack was saying to Elizabeth, "there is no one else.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some plans to make."

            Jack gave Elizabeth and Anamaria a small salute, and walked over to where Mr. Gibbs and Will were standing.  They both turned to him.

            "Mr. Gibbs get the boat ready." Jack ordered Mr. Gibbs somewhat impatiently.

            "Sir?  I don't like the looks of that island.  What if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asked in a worried tone.

            "Stick to the code of course.  Oh!  And Mr. Gibbs?  While Will and I are gone you are in charge of the rum.  Don't let those _women anywhere near it.  Savvy?" Jack delivered this whole speech in an ominous tone, and raised and inquiring eyebrow at Gibbs._

            "Aye aye Captain!  I'll see to it that the men keep double watch so those bloody women don't get anywhere near the rum." Gibbs replied fervently.

            Jack nodded, and walked over to the ladder that led to the boat.  "Coming Will?" he taunted, "Or has your wife whipped you already?"

            Will shook his head, cast one last glance at Elizabeth, and followed Jack down the ladder into the boat.  "Seems kind of familiar doesn't it Jack?  Gibbs keeping to the code, and the two of us rowing off somewhere in a boat?  Next thing you know, we'll be meeting undead pirates."

            The two finally reached shore, and they tied up their boat to a nearby bush.  They waved at the Pearl, and turned toward the center of the island.

            "The trees here aren't tall enough to make a mast out of." Jack commented.  "We'll have to head toward the heart of the island to find what we need.  We'll head a ways in then camp for the night."

            "Explain to me again why we couldn't have just waited for morning." Will demanded.  

            "We need to get out of here as soon as possible," Jack explained.  "This island makes me nervous, and I don't want the Pearl near it longer than can be helped."

            Will nodded, took a deep breath, and headed into the jungle.  Jack followed behind him cautiously.  

            By the time true darkness had fallen, the two had made it several miles into the thick vegetation that covered the center of the isle.  They could no longer see the Pearl, and could here nothing but the babbling of a brook they had set their tents up next to.  There had been no site of animals, or indeed, any living thing during their trek, and nothing had changed.

            "This isle is a graveyard, and not only for ships.  I haven't seen or heard any animals since we entered this God forsaken forest." Will whispered apprehensively.  He glanced around, but quickly returned his gaze to the comforting sight of supper cooking over an open fire.

            "Don't be silly boy!" Jack said boisterously.  "Here, have a little drink out of my 'water' flask and you'll feel much better."

            Will took the flask and sniffed suspiciously.  "That's not water!  That's rum!"  He accused.

            "I know that.  But did you know that I know that you know…that."  Jack swayed as he talked.  "Maybe I'd better save the rest for the opportune moment, eh Will?"

            Will sighed in exasperation, took the flask from Jack (again) and hid it in the tent.  As he was emerging from said tent, he felt the prick of something very pointy, cold, and metallic at his neck.  He looked up.  Above him stood a man.  Only, this man wasn't like anything, or anyone, that Will had ever seen before.  He was rather short for one thing, and dressed very oddly.  His clothes looked to be Spanish, and had strange similarities to paintings Will had seen of early explorers.  The weirdest thing about this man, though, was the fact that Will could see right through him.

            "Welcome to The Cursed Isle young sir." The man-thing hissed.  Will gulped and glanced over at Jack, who was similarly restrained.

            Jack gave a sickly looking smile.  "Why hello Manuel!  I thought this island looked familiar, but I never would have guessed that it was the same one we were sent to so long ago.  To tell you the truth, I never really liked this place.  So, if you don't mind, we'll be leaving."  He attempted to get up, but the sword at his neck stopped him in a crouch.

            The man-thing, Manuel, above Will turned to look at Jack.  "Mr. Sparrow.  It has been long since you were with us.  I imagine you have a lot to tell us.  Now, let us return to the Heart and see the Leader."

            "Where are you taking us?" Will demanded to know.

            "Where?"  Manuel asked.  "Why, to see Cortez of course."

**Author's Note:**

            When I watched Pirates, I thought to myself…"Why would the Aztecs only curse the gold and not Cortez?"  Answer:  They probably wouldn't!  Then I thought…"No one knew anything about Jack before he showed up to look for the Aztec gold.  The Isla de Muerto can only be found by people who know where it is.  Jack knows where it is.  Where did Jack get the compass?"  Then it came to me.  Maybe, Jack was with Cortez, and that's how he knew where the Isla de Muerto was.  I decided it might be a cool angle to explore, so here it is.  Hope you like it.

Dreamstrifer:  Here's another literary tapeworm just for you.

Anyone who's reviewed, or just read this:  Thank you!

**Quote of the Chapter:**  "If you're in a horror movie, and you see something suspicious, _don't_ poke it with a stick." –me (again)


	3. If I Only Had a Body

Disclaimer: I still own everything I owned at the beginning of this story, which is nothing.  
  
Chapter Three: If I Only Had a Body  
  
"I'm going after him, Anamaria; I don't care what you say. He needs me." Elizabeth insisted quietly to her friend.  
  
Anamaria glanced stealthily around the captain's quarters and nodded her head. "I'll help you, but only if you promise me not to do anything stupid, and endanger the Captain or Will." Elizabeth solemnly held out her hand and the two shook to seal their bargain.  
  
At the same time, on the island, the two men previously discussed were being reluctantly dragged through the underbrush by two undead conquistadors.  
  
"Why do these people know your name Jack?" Will demanded to know. "No wait! Let me guess. They're actually undead pirates who used to sail under your command, right? I mean, it wouldn't be the first time. And, judging by the looks of them, they're not exactly ordinary. They're bloody invisible!" Will barely managed to avoid running full speed into a tree and stumbled trying to keep up with his captor.  
  
"Not quite invisible," Jack tried to reason as he made his way around the same tree. "If they were invisible we wouldn't be able to see them at all, savvy? They're just...see-through. As for who they are, well, you remember that cursed treasure that we had a bit trouble about awhile ago?" He gave will an innocently inquiring look.  
  
At this, Will's face turned a livid shade of maroon. "Of course I remember! How could I bloody well forget? It only almost got me killed!" Will's voice took on an ominous tone. "Now quit stalling and tell me who these people are." He made a fist with his free hand and shook it at Jack.  
  
"I'm trying to, if only you'd let me." Jack muttered in a disgruntled tone. "Well, that treasure was cursed because of Cortez and his men right? Do you honestly think that such vengeful Aztecs would curse only the gold, and not the man who so betrayed them?"  
  
"So what you're saying," Will reasoned, "is that the Aztecs cursed Cortez and his men. Then this curse somehow turned these men into ghosts?"  
  
"That's exactly what he's saying young sir" answered a new voice from directly in front of them. Will slowly looked up into the face of the man/ghost addressing him. The man/ghost smiled. "My name is Cortez, and I am at your service."  
  
Will gave a loud gasp, and fell to the floor. "He's a bit faint hearted," Jack explained to Cortez. "Eunuch." Cortez gave a sympathetic nod, and looked curiously at Jack.  
  
"You didn't really think that you could escape this island, or its curse did you?" He politely inquired of Jack. "True, you managed to stay away longer than any of us had expected, but you still ended up back here."  
  
Jack gave a philosophical shrug. "It was worth a try," he admitted. "At least you can still see me."  
  
"Touché." Cortez inclined his head gracefully, and motioned for Jack to follow him. "I miss my body sometimes. Oh, the things I could do, the treasure I could find, if I only had a body..." Cortez sighed nostalgically and led Jack toward a tent previously hidden by trees. Manuel, who had been standing nearby all throughout this interlude, picked Will up off the ground, slung him over his shoulder, and followed.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the boat Elizabeth and Anamaria were having some problems convincing Mr. Gibbs that their plan was sound.  
  
"He needs our help!" Elizabeth insisted. She flounced her way over to a bench and sat. Mr. Gibbs gave her a somewhat nervous or perhaps anxious look, and took another step towards the cabin door.  
  
"I can see where you'd be thinkin' that Miss Elizabeth, but I don't see how you can help. Besides, letting you row to that island would be breaking the Cap'n Jack's orders." Gibbs gave a grave nod for emphasis, and braced himself for Elizabeth's wrath. Much to his surprise, she gave him a sweet smile and innocently batted her eyes.  
  
"I'll make a deal with you Mr. Gibbs. If you let Anamaria and me go to that island, I promise we will leave the rum entirely alone for the rest of this journey. What say you?" Elizabeth shook her head slightly at Anamaria, who was dumbfounded at the thought that she would be going with Elizabeth to the island.  
  
"You'll not touch the rum?" Gibbs asked. His voice sounded hopeful, and his face brightened.  
  
"Neither one of us, for the rest of the journey," Elizabeth reaffirmed.  
  
"It's a deal then," Gibbs stated. "If you want to go on a fool's errand, who am I to stop you?" Elizabeth gave him and evil glare, and Mr. Gibbs took the final step toward the door. "Well, I'd best be going and seeing to your provision. If you need me, I'll be on deck." With that final word, Gibbs turned and fled out of the cabin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Sorry it took me so long to update. I've been really busy writing scholarship essays. I'll try to do better in the future. In regards to the story...short chapter again. Sorry about that. I don't especially like this chapter, but I'm weird like that. Also, please forgive any inconsistencies found in this chapter (if there are any). I'm currently very tired, and under the influence of a sleeping pill (hm...maybe that's why I'm tired...). I hope you like the chapter. I tried my best to have Will freak out a little. Sorry there wasn't a perverted Jack quote in here somewhere...at least I worked in Eunuch!  
  
Dreamstrifer: I hate you forever! I don't know why yet, but I'll come up with a reason. Give me time. Oh! The quote on Spifilicous is for you. Just a friendly reminder...  
  
ElvenGreen98: I'm glad you like it. I tried to keep it as Jack-ish as possible.  
  
MIsUnDeRsToOdGnOmE: Yes, yes he would. Will that is. Jack knows them. Thanks for pointing that out to me. I tried to fix it a little in this chapter.  
  
Quote of the Chapter:  
  
Just to cheer up my good friend Dreamstrifer, who's had a really bad day...  
  
"I'll grope you're cactus!" ~Dreamstrifer 


	4. Tight Corsets

**Disclaimer:** Much to my depression, I own nothing...still. But at least I have fun with it.

**Chapter Four: Tight Corsets**

"This was a great idea Elizabeth." Anamaria muttered. "Let's go tramping through a jungle full of who knows what, and see if we can find Will. Of course, this would be a lot easier if we KNEW WHERE HE WAS!" Anamaria shouted the last four words. She was fed up. She and Elizabeth had been walking around in circles for hours. They were very lost. "So much for saving Will and Jack." She was back to muttering again.

"Cheer up Anamaria!" Elizabeth chirped. "We can't be far away. I know we're close to Will." At this, Anamaria gave a disgusted glance at a boulder that she had seen already...four times. "I know!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Why don't we sing a song to pass the time. I know just the one two..."

"Oh, no! Not that stupid egg song!" Anamaria interjected. But it was too late. Elizabeth was already singing about really bad eggs and drinking. Elizabeth and Cap'n Jack loved that song. They were the only ones who could stand it.

Fortunately (for both Anamaria's sanity and Elizabeth's continued wellbeing) Elizabeth's song was cut short. Right in the middle of a "Yo ho" she let out a short screech. Anamaria, who had been trying to tune out Elizabeth by concentrating on the scenery, jumped straight up into the air and whirled around. The scene unfolding in front of her was...unexpected. Elizabeth had been captured by a ghost! Anamaria started to go to her friends rescue, but was grabbed from behind. It was then that Anamaria concluded with a sigh, that she too had been captured.

"It's very simple Jack," Cortez reasoned. "What I want is this. I want you to end our curse. News has reached us of what happened to Barbosa, and we feel your just the man for the job. What say you?" Cortez cocked his head to one side as he awaited Jack's answer.

"Absolutely not!" Jack retorted with a trace of desperation in his voice. "I can't break the curse! The very thought is absurd." Jack gave a righteous nod of his head.

"And there's nothing we can do to convince you?" Cortez persisted.

"Not a thing." Jack replied.

"Let me go!" Elizabeth screamed. She was ignored. "You're going to regret this." She snarled.

"I hope you don't like rum." Anamaria murmured to her captor. He gave her a swift, startled glance, but did not reply. Anamaria shrugged. She was actually rather calm about the whole being captured thing. But then again, Anamaria was the more rational of the two. She had already figured out that:

They couldn't escape at the present time.

If Anamaria and Elizabeth had been captured, chances were that Jack and Will were already in the ghosts' clutches.

They weren't lost anymore. At least now they were actually going somewhere.

4. All in all, Anamaria figured they didn't have such a bad deal.

Elizabeth was raving. She was furious at the way she had been treated. And also at the thought that, instead of rescuing Jack and Will, she herself had been captured. They were going to pay for this, Elizabeth vowed to herself. She would make their...existence...a living Hell.

Elizabeth blinked as a bright light suddenly assaulted her eyes. It seems that while she had been having an internal dialogue, the small party which she was temporarily a part of had reached its destination. There wasn't much there, just a couple of trees and a tent. It was singularly unimpressive.

"Well Jack," Cortez countered smoothly. "The way I see it, you don't have a choice."

"It's **_Captain_** Jack now" Jack replied haughtily, "and what makes you say I don't have a choice?"

Cortez gave a slight smile at Jack's insistence on his title. He gave a slight nod to someone behind Will and Jack, and waited. He didn't have to wait long. Into the tent were dragged two very filthy women. Namely, Elizabeth and Anamaria. Jack closed his eyes in exasperation.

Cortez' smile widened at Jack's response. "As you see, I have a few hostages. They shall remain my...guests...until such time as the curse is broken."

"Will!" Elizabeth gasped. The look on her face was shocked, but quickly changed to furious. "What do you think you're doing?!?" She started to screech. "How dare you get captured! I knew you'd need me to save you." Will blushed. Jack raised an eye at Elizabeth.

"Save him?" Jack demanded contemptuously. "Is that what you think you've done? You've just made sure that he's going to go on a very dangerous, and possibly even deadly voyage. And you get to be a hostage...again." Jack made three quick, rather violent motions with his hands. "I have a novel idea!" Jack exclaimed. "How about you and Anamaria stay on the boat and wait for Will and me to come back? Oh wait." Jack pouted. "That won't work will it? You're too bloody stupid to stay where we put you!" Jack ignored the warning signs that Elizabeth was emitting. "What were you thinking, love?" Jack demanded. "Or maybe that's the problem. Maybe you weren't thinking. I think you should loosen your corset, it's obviously cutting off the supply of oxygen to your brain!" With that final parting shot, Jack rose, gave a curt nod to Cortez, and left the tent. Manuel followed. Will glanced at Cortez, his face strained.

"You will leave in the morning young sir." Cortez stated. When he saw Will's nod of acceptance, he too rose. "Come Madame," Cortez spoke gently to Anamaria. "I wish to speak with you." Anamaria daintily placed her hand on Cortez' extended arm. Cortez made a curt motion with his head toward the opening in the tent, and everyone that was left, besides Will and Elizabeth, left. The last one out closed the tent's flap.

Will turned to Elizabeth. When he saw how angry she was, he gave a martyr's sigh. It was going to be a very long night.

**Author's Note:** It seems like I'm always saying I'm sorry with this story. I would have updated sooner, but for a while I lost inspiration to write it. It was just the other night when I couldn't sleep (again) that I thought of what could happen next in this story.

A couple of news-worthy things:

1. Turns out I have a roommate in my dorm after all. Her name is Lindsey. It's not what I wanted, but oh well. I'll deal, and hopefully we'll get along.

2. I have an account at under the same name. Check it out; I have poetry, and even the beginning of an original story.

3. My mom loves the thrift shop. (Shocking I know.) Anyway, when I needed some stuff for my dorm room, I decided to tag along with her, and see what was there. Besides getting some cool stuff (cheap movies and almost the entire Narnia series) I also got this really cool storage chest. It's more like a wooden footlocker. Anyway, it was painted, and I wanted to see what was under the paint. So, I buy paint stripper (No Dreamstrifer..._paint_ stripper...not _a_ stripper), stripping tools (Seriously Dreamstrifer, you have a twisted mind...), and spend hours today trying to get the paint off. You'll never guess what's under all that paint. No, not some cool design that I'd want to keep on. It's a circus box! On the lid are 4 freaky looking horses, and on the front are 4 freaky looking elephants. As if that's not enough, there are clowns on each side! It's a conspiracy I tell you. And it's not as if the decorations are cool...nope. They're some sort of stylized crap that makes me afraid the pictures are going to pop off the box and eat me. It's very tramatic. The only good thing to come of all this...well, I guess there's more than one. First of all, I can get the freaky pictures off using paint stripper (it's just more work). Secondly, when my daddy heard about my box, he stopped off on his way home from work, and bought me chocolate. And not just any chocolate...Snocaps!!!! I love my daddy.

Anyway, that's all for now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you next week. Same bat time, same bat channel.

Oh! I almost forgot. I am very (o.k., well, slightly) upset that no one caught my tribute to the original, animated 101 Dalmatians in the first chapter. Look for it. It's there.

**Quote of the Chapter:**

For Dreamstrifer, whom I haven't plotted with since Melissa's party, and for MudGuppy, who motivated me to write and post this chapter.

_See the happy moron,_

_He doesn't give a dmn!_

_I wish I were a moron—_

_My God! Perhaps I am!_

_Anonymous_


	5. The Voyage Begins

**Disclaimer:** I don't own much. Possibly the rum fetish, but even that's debatable.

**Chapter 5: The Voyage Begins**

The next morning dawned bright and beautiful. To Will, who hadn't slept all night, it was the most horrible sight he had ever seen. Elizabeth was furious that he had been captured, and irate that Jack had dared to berate her in front of all those people. Elizabeth being Elizabeth, she had taken it all out on Will. His ears were still ringing. Elizabeth could be very shrill, and loud, when she was angry. Through all her ranting, Will sat, elbows on knees and head in hands. She had paced around him waving her arms wildly. Will would be very surprised if anyone had gotten any sleep last night. Elizabeth had gotten tired of yelling at him a few minutes before, and had stormed out of the tent (probably in search of a new victim). Will looked up as Cortez entered the tent.

"It's just about time to go, lad" Cortez informed Will. Will nodded and slowly rose to his feet. Cortez hesitantly put his hand on Will's shoulder. "I'll take good care of her while you're gone. You needn't worry about her." Will gave him a brief glance then left the tent.

As he emerged he saw Elizabeth standing with Anamaria. They were talking quietly, and both women looked worried. Jack was sitting by the embers of last night's fire drinking a bottle of rum. Where he had found that, Will had no idea. Cortez noticed the direction of Will's gaze.

"We can take corporeal form when we wish to. It takes a little concentration, but since we still need to eat and drink, it's rather necessary." Cortez stepped forward. "Today is a great day," he announced in a loud voice.

"Oh bloody hell," Jack muttered. "He's going to make a speech." Cortez gave him a nasty look.

"Fine." He snarled at Jack. "The ladies will stay here with me. Once you have freed me an my men from the curse you can come back here and collect them."

"Collect us?" It seemed Elizabeth had found her next victim. "_Collect us?_" Her voice grew more shrill.

"Oh shut up." Jack said disgustedly to her. "You'll have plenty of time to punish him after Will and I have left. If you had had the good sense not to be captured…to do what you'd been told for once, we wouldn't be in this position."

"How was I supposed to know I was going to get captured?" Elizabeth demanded. "Anamaria and I were walking through the forest, trying to find you, and the next thing I knew, I had been grabbed from behind."

"That's why you should have stayed on the ship." Jack pointed out.

Will rubbed his head. "Look, Jack-"

"For the last bloody time it's **_Captain_** Jack!" Jack interrupted. Will sighed.

"Captain Jack, Elizabeth, this isn't getting us anywhere." Will turned to Elizabeth. "I don't like this anymore than you do, but there really isn't any choice. We will break the curse, and we will be back for you." Elizabeth embraced him briefly then pushed him away.

"Go." She commanded the two men. "The sooner you're gone, the sooner you'll be back." Will nodded, and grabbed Jack's arm. The two men left, surrounded by an escort of Cortez' ghostly men carrying a new mast for the ship. As soon as they were out of sight, Elizabeth collapsed against Anamaria, her whole body shaking with sobs.

Will and Jack made it safely back to the ship. Cortez' men had left them and the mast at the edge of the forest. The crew looked on with worried expressions as the two men climbed aboard.

"Beggin' your pardon Cap'n" Gibbs ventured hesitantly, "but where be the women?" Jack and Will shared a silent look.

"They fell behind," Jack stated curtly. Will slammed him up against the railing. His forearm pressed tightly against Jack's throat.

"The Pirate's Code doesn't apply in this case." Will hissed in Jack's ear. "We _will_ be coming back for them."

"Of course we will," Jack reassured the irate Will. "It's just that first, we have to figure out how to break the curse." Will released Jack incredulously.

"You mean you don't know?" Will demanded.

"Not exactly," Jack hedged. "But I think I know someone who might." With that cryptic message Jack headed for the wheel. "We'll be setting sail as soon as possible, Mr. Gibbs," Jack informed the bewildered seaman.

"Aye, Cap'n," Mr. Gibbs replied. All the sailors hurried to retrieve the mast. "It'll take us a little while to get the mast up."

"Very good Gibbs. In the meantime, Will and I will be having a little talk. Come find us when you're done." Jack gestured Will into his cabin and closed the door behind them.

"So?" Will asked as soon as the door had swung shut.

"I know someone who can help us." Jack informed him. "I haven't seen him in quite a while, but if anyone knows how to break this bloody curse, it'll be him."

"Who is he?" Will demanded.

"He's a…well, I guess you could call him a wise man." Jack answered. "He and I go way back…nothing that you need know at this time," He added when he saw Will's curiosity. Will nodded.

"Fair enough."

It had been a week since Will had left, and Elizabeth had made sure she was as busy as possible since then. It seemed Cortez and his men were just as corrupt and Jack, and they drank just as much rum. Unfortunately for them , Jack and Will had forgotten to warn the ghosts about Elizabeth's and Anamaria's habit of disposing of said rum. Imagine the ghost's surprise when half their rum went missing the first night after Jack and Will had left. They had lost another fourth of the rum the second night, but after that they grew wise and started to guard the rum. That was o.k. with Elizabeth, because it just meant that it took more thought and effort to get to the rum. If she was thinking aobut the rum, she wasn't thinking about all the danger Will could be in.

"Pst!" hissed Anamaria. "I'm ready when you are." Elizabeth nodded, and rose up from behind the pile of logs where she had been hiding. She started to slowly walk past the rum guard, but suddenly she tripped and fell against him. Thankfully he was corporeal at the time, so she didn't have the unnerving sensation of falling _through_ him.

"My ankle!" she gasped. "I've hurt my ankle!" She reached down to grab said ankle, and tried to look as innocent and helpless as possible. "Please," she looked up at the guard with wide eyes, "won't you help me back to my tent? I'm sure I'll be all right if you just help me."

The guard was torn. He was supposed to be guarding the rum, but Cortez had given orders that the women were to be treated with every courtesy. And Elizabeth couldn't well steal the rum if he was escorting her to her tent…could she? No, she was injured, and needed his help.

The poor, unsuspecting guard had no idea what was going on. Anamaria and Elizabeth hadn't used subterfuge the past two nights. He didn't realize that they would try to trick him in order to get to the rum. And so, he assisted Elizabeth to her tent, and didn't even notice when she made a 'thumb's up' sign to Anamaria behind her back. He didn't see Anamaria sneak over to the rum barrels he had been guarding. He certainly didn't have a clue when Anamaria carefully put holes in the back of the barrels so that no one would see the rum pouring out. And by the time he got back to his post, Anamaria was long gone, making her way slowly to the tent she shared with Elizabeth.

Will stared into the night sky. Ever since he had left Elizabeth with Cortez, he had had problems sleeping. He wondered where she was, what she was doing. And, with a wry smile, he wondered if Cortez had managed to keep any of his ale. He stayed that way, staring into the sky, thinking of Elizabeth through the rest of the night. When the crew stirred at dawn, he was still there.

It happened just as the crew was switching duties. Those who had watched the ship all night were going to bed; those who had been sleeping where coming up on deck, rubbing their eyes. Will's eyes had long since glazed over, and at first the other ship didn't register. When it did, he gave a great shout. The crew scrambled about, trying to turn the ship so they could escape, but to no avail. Just as the second ship came along-side the Pearl, Jack came running out of his cabin, shirt un-tucked but hat firmly in place. It was, however, too late.

Pirates swarmed onto the Pearl, easily capturing the sleepy crew and Will. As five pirates with swords advanced on Jack he looked around desperately. There was no hope. His ship was taken. Jack took a deep breath as a sword came to rest under his chin. Jack licked his lips and took the only chance that he had left.

"Parley?"

**Author's Note:**

The next chapter in Cursed Isle! Yay! Actually, the inspiration for this came to me today at work. You should have seen me. I hunted desperately for a note card, and scribbled thoughts down frantically. I'd just like to say that I definitely have this story all figured out now, and I really like where it's going. I'll also assert my right as the author to torment you by saying that within the next couple chapters we will be meeting some old friends again. I won't tell you who. That's the torment. I expect another chapter to be coming relatively soon, barring unforeseen homework and circumstances. I could have made this chapter longer, but this seemed like a really good place to stop.

For my dear Dreamstrifer…just wait 'til you see what I have planned for our _beloved_ Elizabeth. It's gonna be fun. Oh, and I like the Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati. It was far better than the creepy dancing skeletons.

**Quote of the Chapter:**

"I'm going to put this in my private place" me (no it's not as nasty as it sounds)


End file.
